Info

Home Page / About Wagnerheim
Introduction by Roger Scruton
About the Author
Interactive Features
Wagner Lecture Videos
Wagner Lecture / Papers Transcript
Links
Contact Us
Discussion Forum

Table of Contents

Title Page
Dedication Page
General Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations for key references
Guide to abbreviations used in text
Allen Dunning's numbered Guide to the Ring's Musical Motifs
Detailed Table of Contents

The Ring

Introduction


References
Appendix I
Appendix I I

Key Colour Coding

Donations Welcome

I would be grateful for donations of any size, small or large, to help defray the cost (1) of maintaining this website, (2) and to finance my past and present research which produced my book posted here, Volume One of "The Wound That Will Never Heal," and my forthcoming revision of Volume One (to be submitted for publication), and completion of Volume Two on Wagner's six other canonic operas and music-dramas. I sacrificed at least seven years of paid employment and incurred debts to complete this project, and am currently unemployed, so I thank you in advance for any financial help you can provide. Your friend, Paul Heise.

(#37) Ring to the deep Rhine’s daughters (#51) from the weight of the curse (#15/#20c) both god and world would be freed. I weighed his words: (#81 Fragment/[[ #164 ]]) from his side, through silent ranks, I stole away; in secret haste I mounted the horse (#91 >>>>) and rode to you like the wind. (#37 Loose Vari) You, O sister, (#87?) I now entreat: whatever you can, (#87?) have courage to do it! End the immortals’ torment! (She has thrown herself at Bruennhilde’s feet: #?)

Bruennhilde: (Calmly) What tales of fearful dreams are you telling me, sad sister? (#81’s twist?) Poor fool that I am, I have risen above the (#19 Fragment) mists of the (#20a) gods’ hallowed heaven [“Himmels-Nebel”]: I do not grasp what I hear. (#81 Twist?) [[ #164 >> ]] Your meaning seems wild and confused; in your eye – so over weary- fitful fire gleams: [[ #164 Vari ]] with pallid cheek, wan sister, what would you have me do in your wildness? (#19)

Waltraute: (Vehemently: [[ #167 Embryo? ]]; #? [fire figurations reminiscent of the finales of S.3.3 and T.3.3?]) Upon your hand, the Ring – that’s it: O heed my counsel! (#5 Loose Varis) For Wotan, cast it away from you!

Bruennhilde: (#19 Vari or #167 Vari?) The Ring – from me?

Waltraute: (#161 Vari) Give it back to the Rhinedaughters!

Bruennhilde: (#161 Vari) to the Rhinedaughters – I – the Ring? (#19 Vari) Siegfried’s pledge of love? – (#139) Are you out of your mind?

Waltraute: (#161 Vari) Hear me, hear of my fears! (#19?; #13 Varis) The world’s ill-fate [“Unheil”] surely hangs upon it: (#161 Vari >>) cast it away, into the waves! (#161b?) (#13 Vari >>) To end Valhalla’s distress, (#161a or #15?) cast the accursed Ring into the river.”

 

[[#164]] Bruennhilde’s loving union with Siegfried, which Wotan hoped would redeem gods and world from Alberich's Ring-curse, Bruennhilde comes to see as the most sadistic refinement of Wotan's punishment (and thus of Alberich's curse)

(#164 is the last entry in a series of motif transformations, first described by Cooke, which started with #21. #21 transformed into #81A, #81A into #81B [Representing Wotan’s intent to punish Bruennhilde before Bruennhilde persuaded him to allow only Siegfried to wake and win her], #81A into #96ab, #96ab into #137 [Siegfried’s fear of waking Bruennhilde], and finally, #137 into #164. Through #21, #164 is also related to #28, #30b, #60, #62, and perhaps #115.)

[See #163 for #164’s initial dramatic context; see below for a subsequent recurrence crucial for grasping the overall meaning of #164. Siegfried, having transformed himself into the image of Gunther with the Tarnhelm’s magic, has - as only